Good news Heath
Are you fitting them yourself (with some help) or a garage ?
Myself - any tips ?
Why do you need the clamps if you have bought coilovers?Originally Posted by HJM
Just got to fit them this weekend (provided compressor clamps arrive in time) - should be a 5 minute job then
1999 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Tommi Makinen Edition
Some of the tein suspension packages use the OE tops from existing setup (esp the height only adjustable packages)...
Ride and height adjustables will probably come with Tein top mounts..
Ahh .... righto ...
In that case ... Heath be careful with the compression clamps ... one wrong move and they could take your head off !!
I bought a set when we where swapping the springs over on mine and it had some safety latches ... have the ones you are getting got something similar?
I must admit I have seen a few of these devices but not had the *pleasure* of using em yet.
I can imagine the tales of injuries and missing body parts when using these; and remember hearing tales of springs bouncing off to God knows where followed by shattering greenhouse glass in the distance
Indeed.
When we changed the springs on mine the spring clamps that Andy had were actually bowing under the load. I believe the spring gets put under something like a tonne or more of compression. If that let's go it will really let go ...
We decided it was too dangerous and that's why I bought some new clamps with safety latches ... these are the ones that I got:
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/pr...ing-compressor
And they did the job
Just need to make sure you use all three, evenly spaced and load them up in small steps evenly ...
Not wanting to scare you or anythin 'eeef!
If you need to reuse the strut tops, you need to disassemble the standard front shock/spring. Particularly on the front struts, make sure you soak the top of the piston with the big centre bolt with plenty of WD40, and ideally 'crack' (but DO NOT LOOSEN) the nut whilst it's still got the weight of the car on it - use an adjustable spanner or strong mole grips or a Vice to hold the piston steady whilst undoing the nut when it's off the car. The nut has a nylon threadlock in it and has been a complete @rse to remove every time I've done it.
Speaking as someone who nearly ended up with a nasty injury as a result of a spring compressor slipping, make sure you use good compressors - ideally triple-point ones, rather than just a pair - allows for more even compression.
When you're reassembling, make sure the front struts are rotated correctly - there should be a 'divot' near the bottom - this is to allow clearance for the shock fork bolt - And a jack on the bottom of the lateral arm will bring the hub carrier into position for you easily.
The rears are much easier, but the bottom bolt that secures the shock to the rear hub carrier on my car was *incredibly* stiff on one side - eventually the blowlamp and a breaker bar were bought into play. Oh, and the shaft that the rear shockers mount onto is tapered, as are the bushings on the rear shocks - so make sure you get them the right way round.
Oh, to get at the strut top bolts at the rear, remove the load cover, unscrew the screws on the trim and you can then wiggle 'em out.
By the way - my new set of clamps (purchased after my old ones tried to kill me!!) are exactly the same as the ones Wayne has linked to - nice bit of kit and very safe!
Thanks for all the advice guys, tis very much appreciated
Will make sure I use 3 clamps and possibly the ones recommended.
Might not be doing them this weekend - depends on my professional help I'm trying to enlist from the north part of my home county (just got to agree how much Bitburger I pay him in)
H
I would offer to help Heath but, am expecting
an important little bundle to arrive soon
Good Luck.
P.S Wherever you take it for 4 wheel alignment after make sure
they don't drive the car
Thanks for the offer, but your bundle is somewhat more precious and important - good luck and look forward to that pint or twelve after your deliveryI would offer to help Heath but, am expecting
an important little bundle to arrive soon
Good Luck.
P.S Wherever you take it for 4 wheel alignment after make sure
they don't drive the car
H
Thanks for the offer, but your bundle is somewhat more precious and important - good luck and look forward to that pint or twelve after your delivery
H
Oh yes plenty of wetting the baby's head
Teins finally fitted at the weekend (not the easiest or quickest of jobs to do) - thanks to my Superstar mechanic Simon
Car rides higher than the old Billies, but looks ok.
Not been able to really test (in for MoT today,etc) but first impressions are they are somewhere between a standard set up and the ultra low/stiff Bilsteins which is fine as the added height and comfort is just what I wanted as the car is now 'semi-retired' from tracking.
IMHO I would advise anyone who wants to track their VR4 to go for Bilsteins
H
Heath - The stiffness would come from the springs, not the shocks - Bilstein don't manufacture springs for the Galant/Legnum. I've got bilstein's B8 setup, which have the firmest damping available, but seeing as I'm using 'soft' Tein springs, the ride is nice and supple.
What brand of springs were fitted with your shocks? Normally (if there's any paint left!) it's specified on them.
Well done H &co. Semi retired?? Oh I see, you mean the leggy
Unable to distinguish which springs but they were a lot thicker than the coilovers.
Still the old Bilsteins looked like they had served their time, but just going to keep most bits just in case !?!
Good stuff ... wish I'd known that you had not fitted them yet as I would have got you to measure the wheel arch height on the Leggy ... I always said I wanted to mine to be the same ride height as yours esp at the front ... about one inch from top of tyre to the wheel arch wasn't it?
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote